MensXP Exclusive Movie Review: Holiday (2014)

Review:

2014 has seen a lot of good releases, some quality cinema and smashing performances by our Bollywood celebrities, and ‘Holiday – A Soldier Is Never Off Duty’ follows suit. From the looks of the trailer, it may seem like a stereotypical Akshay Kumar flick with irrelevant songs, some ‘maar-dhaad’ and a handful of Rajpal Yadavs thrown in somewhere. But thankfully, none of it is really true in this case. This is what they mean when they say ‘never judge a book by its cover’. Let’s discuss the movie in detail – it really is worth it.

‘Holiday’ begins with army man Virat Bakshi (Akshay Kumar) coming home for a vacation. While he is falling in love with Sonakshi Sinha, Mumbai is under a terrorist attack threat. The sleeper cell network is so deeply rooted in the city, Virat gets entangled in it deeper and deeper as the film proceeds. The one man army that he is, he takes it upon himself to man up and save the city from this mayhem. It’s time for an army man to uproot terrorism. Of course, the journey isn’t easy – it even seems impossible at times. There’s not much that can be said about the plot – it can only be experienced, on the 70mm screen.

Full marks to A.R. Murugadoss for doing a superlative job as the director of the film. His last film ‘Ghajini’ was brilliant too, and ‘Holiday’ takes it up several notches higher. A remake of the South Indian film ‘Thupakki’, ‘Holiday’ is undoubtedly one of his best work in Bollywood till date. This film is crisp, engaging and racy. Never does the film lag in pace or substance. A lot of Bollywood films have been made on terrorism previously, most of which sank without a trace. But with ‘Holiday’, Murugadoss takes a completely different approach. The film is neither obnoxiously loud nor intolerably preachy. It’s a strange combination of a masala entertainer and a film with a social message – a combination that works brilliantly well for the audiences. The screenplay is pitch perfect and the editing top notch.

Talking of performances, Akshay Kumar delivers one of the best performances of his career. He’s so convincing as the serious army man, it’s difficult to imagine anyone else in the role. He sinks deep into Virat Bakshi’s character and owns it. How often do you see mainstream Bollywood actors do that? From his dialogue delivery to his screen presence, this man is impeccable. He has matured as an actor and how! Sonakshi Sinha is a breath of fresh air in the film. She brings in the much needed masala in the film. After ‘Lootera’, here’s another film Sonakshi will be known for in the times to come. The only flaw is in her styling that makes her look out of place at times. And, we come to the surprise element of ‘Holiday’ – Freddy Daruwala. He nails the role of a terrorist, almost outshining Akshay Kumar at times. He’s cold, merciless and wicked – another icon in the making. It had been long since Bollywood got a great villain, and we think Freddy Daruwala may have finally broken the spell. What a powerhouse of talent! Of course, there are flaws in the film. But because there’s so much going for this film, you wouldn’t mind ignoring them.

Verdict: ‘Holiday’ is one film that will be liked by both the masses and the classes equally. It’s sheer brilliance. It’s pacy, it’s fierce and it leaves you clutching to the edge of your seat plenty of times. The climax is a spectacle to watch. Don’t miss this. You don’t want to catch it on television later and regret not having watched it on the big screen.